About Urban Jeff

13 Comments

CarterSeptember 26, 2009 at 11:54 am

A little pricey for the component setup. But I do like the San Marco style seat. I just couldnt drop 600 for that bike when I got my langster for $550. Although Schwinn does seem to be doing better with getting back to basics.

JeffSSeptember 26, 2009 at 1:58 pm

Pricey? MSRP of the langster steel is $660. Comparing one company’s list price with another’s sale price is pointless.

Personally, I can’t get past the bars companies are putting on these bikes. When is everyone going to quit pretending that you’re riding a “track bike”?

CarterSeptember 26, 2009 at 8:11 pm

I was meaning more to imply the component setup with Sugino Messenger cranks and all on the Langster provides more value for the money than this bike. (Only suckers pay MSRP.)

PDXbikerSeptember 27, 2009 at 12:58 am

The track bars might turn off a few potential buyers, I don’t care for ‘em myself. My girlfriend and I bought Madisons last year on sale. Nice bikes for the money.

Digging the frame and the stars-wars-esque decals… something is a bit off-putting about the rest of the bike though… Jeff, your glamour shot looks great, but the ones on the Schwinn site… I wish the Schwinn and Raleigh shops in my area would actually carry some of the nicer / newer urban models rather than just road / mountain bikes…

rand0mSeptember 28, 2009 at 1:45 pm

What’s up with the brake placement? Where are you supposed to hold the bar for them?

tannerOctober 15, 2009 at 8:53 pm

I have the 09 in black but i like that they went back to this logo rather than what was on the 08 and 09 models. I think they have some nice upgrades from the last models including leather strap/steel cages. Though I was confused because the schwinn sites says they have weinmann rims while the picture shows alex rims. Also I wonder if the seat and cranks will be as high of quality as previous years?

JeffApril 15, 2010 at 3:39 pm

I’ve been riding a 2010 Madison for the past month and it’s been a surprisingly positive experience, stable and smooth on rough roads. The handlebars were a bit tricky at first, but I ended up preferring the racing riding stance; I actually enjoy riding in the “drops” to the point that I’ve actually converted my casual road setup to have a similar riding style.

The brakes were my only concern. For one, their position at the center of the bar was horrible for stability while biking, so I moved them next to the handlebar grips. The pads were cheap and the levers mushy, but those have been replaced (shimano pads, tektro levers) for vast improvements. With the short time I’ve been riding the madison, I’m actually enjoying the ride more than I expected.

Otherwise, it’s a bit heavier than I’d like, but I happily traded weight for looks in this case. I live in North Brooklyn and the bike gets comments and stares ALL THE TIME.

GlennMay 5, 2010 at 5:25 pm

I just did my second Century on the bright, corvette yellow Madison, as well as, Ragbrai last year. It has taken the place of my high dollar S-Works for all my tours. My theory is after 5000 miles last year anyone can finish on a $5000 bike, but drop a century in 5 hours on a $500 and people pay attention.
I have replaced the tires because the stock tires (name escapes me) began to bulge. The saddle had to be replaced because I’m a guy and the San Marcos doesn’t have the cutout, and trust me, after 100 miles you know it. Now, I’mthinking about reducing some weight, but not at the sake of the plush ride. I’m not heavy at 5’7 and 155# but this is the “tightest” bike I’ve thrown my legs over.
Go get one and we’ll see you out on the tours.

The great thing is it’s almost a

ryanJuly 27, 2010 at 11:26 pm

this bike is beautiful but kind of heavy and the geometry of the frame sucks. i had to get rid of it because i couldn’t turn without hitting my pedal with the wheel.

ChrisNovember 14, 2010 at 6:42 am

One question about the 2010 Madison: does anybody knows if it is real chrome on the fork and the rear triangle? I think it was real chrome on the older madisons (2008).
Thanks!

This bike is a real looker and am thinking of buying one for a commuter. I know where I can buy the 2010 version in the UK, but would like to know if the rear hub is a fixie or freewheel, as I have seen conflicting reports. Cheers.

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